FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CASE OF STUDENT ANIMAL RIGHTS ADVOCATE SETTLED A settlement has been

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


         CASE OF STUDENT ANIMAL RIGHTS ADVOCATE SETTLED

          A settlement has been reached between Woodstown-
Pilesgrove school officials and Joseph G. McCool, father of
Maggie McCool, the high school student who refuses for religious
and moral reasons to dissect animals or observe specimens of
animals killed for that purpose.  The settlement, negotiated by
volunteer attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union of New
Jersey, representing Maggie and her father, and atorneys for the
school officials, and agreed upon by their respective clients,
was approved yesterday by the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional board
of Education.
          According to the settlement, Maggie, who had been given
grades of zero for the assignments that she refused to perform,
will have all grades for these assignments and for other work
based on them stricken from her record, her course grade in
biology recalculated without them, and any references to her
refusal to study dead animals or her lawsuit removed from the
permanent school record.  In addition, the high school's Program
of Studies each year will contain a statement that any student
who has a sincere religious belief, as defined by federal and
state case law, against dissection or observation of dead animal
specimens will be excused from such assignments without penalty
and will be given alternate assignments with appropriate
supervision.  Costs and counsel fees of $12,500 will be paid by
the school board.
          In his suit against the school ifficials on behalf of
his minor child, 15 year old Maggie, McCool was represented by
Christine McHugh and E. Elizabeth Sweetser of Princeton,
volunteer attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union of New
Jersey.  The ACLU maintained that the school, by reducing
Maggie's grades because of her adherence to her religious and
moral beliefs and by refusing to provide her with alternative
means of study, violated her right to freedom of religion under
the First Amendment and the New Jersey Constitution and her right
to a  "thorough and efficient education" under New Jersey law and
discriminated against her under the New Jersey Law Against
Discrimination.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christine McHugh, Esq.
E. Elizabeth Sweetser, Esq.
Pellettieri, Rabstein & Altman
(609) 520-0900

Elizabeth J. Miller, Esq.
ACLU-NJ
(201) 642-2086